Fermoy golf club's course at Corrin took a huge hit from Storm Darwin on Wednesday last, with over 300 trees blown down. The course's back nine suffered the biggest loss.

In a terrific show of solidarity members rallied to a call that went out to volunteers, resulting in a 60-strong band turning up to help clear up at 9 o'clock on Sunday morning.

Some members got to work cleaning and raking greens and other parts clear of debris while the buzzing of chainsaws was loud in the air as others got busy chopping up some of the huge number of fallen trees.

By early afternoon they'd cleared the fairways, the trunks and branches of fallen trees were cleared aside for removal and the course was back up to its usual top conditions.

Given the massive number of fallen trees there was still more logging to be done and again on Monday and Tuesday members turned up to complete the job.

Like a lot of places the clubhouse lost power on Wednesday last and didn't have it restored until Monday afternoon but, in another great show of support, other members of the club turned up with tea and welcome refreshments for those helping to clear the course.

Luckily for the club, the trees fell in such a way as not to damage the fairways, tees and greens. The course will reopen this Friday.

Club president John Morrison, the club captain and management extended sincere thanks and commended all those who'd helped out.

Last week the club was in the news for its efforts to help grow the population of red squirrels through the provision of special feeders they'd put in some of the trees around the course. It even got the club a visit from the 'Mooney Goes Wild' radio show on RTE. Little did they know then that, just days later, they'd lose so many of their trees.

Fermoy Pitch and Putt Club fared a good deal better, losing just six trees.

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